Employment and Workforce Executive Director William Floyd’s Statement

July 2025 Employment Situation

Columbia, S.C. – “It was another strong employment month for South Carolina with job growth in nearly every industrial sector and employers expanding their payrolls by an estimated 9,000 jobs. The number of people working is 2,464,252, a new record high for this year,” said the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce (DEW) Executive Director William Floyd. “The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2% as more people entered the labor force, while the state saw significant job growth in professional, scientific, and technical services; administrative and support and waste management and remediation services; and accommodation and food services.”

“We’ve experienced another month of positive numbers all around and positive hiring with the potential for even more to help fill more than 72,000 jobs that remain open in the state. Our agency connects jobseekers with these jobs through the year-round efforts of SC Works centers, our Rural Connections Team, Regional Workforce Advisors, the Career Coach, and more. 

In September of each year, we celebrate Workforce Development Month to highlight some of the great work done by businesses, organizations, and workforce partners throughout the state,” said Floyd. “By promoting education and training programs and other career resources, September spotlights businesses who collaborate with their regional community to create pathways for career advancement. And, with job fairs, hiring events around the state, the annual South Carolina Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Symposium, the announcement of this year’s Workforce Champion Award, and much more, Workforce Development Month is a great way to learn about all of the connections, opportunities, programs, and organizations that support South Carolina’s jobseekers and employers all year round,” concluded Floyd.